Patrick Cannon Can’t Shoot Straight

If you haven’t heard, yes, it is true, Charlotte, NC’s mayor, Patrick Cannon, was arrested in a dramatic show this past Wednesday while simultaneously, the FBI swooped in and searched his home, mayor office and his business, E-Z Parking. The entire day was drowned in media chatter, resident disappointment and real life scandal. From suitcases of money to luxury apartments, Charlotte’s mayor thought he was Alonzo Harris and the law didn’t apply to him.

The entire story of his illegal involvement is years old; from when he was city councilman to Mayor Pro Tem all the way to now, literally five months in his mayoral position. Yes, FIVE months as mayor. However, the charges they have filed against him is stemmed from an August, 2010 tip from local law enforcement to the FBI when Patrick Cannon’s name became linked to certain illegal activities. Cannon became a primary subject of investigation after hard evidence indicated him as a participant in soliciting his positions for cash and gifts.

Now, before I continue, I am going to state that yes, Patrick Cannon is black, and yes, the issue of his race is being discussed. I will openly admit that yes, there are other corrupt individuals and politicians of all colors, but mainly white, that have broken the law and have gotten away with it. So we have gotten that out of the way.

Ex-Mayor Cannon displayed a level of stupidity and greed that is almost unfathomable. According to the criminal complaint, Cannon concocted a business venture plan and solicited from an undercover agent $12,500 cash payment with “zero-percent-interest-return” on the loan. This man then took the stack and fanned the money by his ear (smh) like he really knew what twelve five sounds like. He immersed himself in the fantasy role he was living his life by.

And he wasn’t done.

Between January, 2013 and February of this year, Cannon continued to take money for a variety of reasons totaling over 48 G’s, including a trip to Las Vegas. Homie was living the big life; all on the FBI, all with undercover agents, recorded visually and by audio. His dumb ass was, quite exactly, caught red handed.

There are plenty of these scandals that can be spoken about. Woodrow Wilson, Watergate, Iran-Contra Affair, Clinton’s Penis and its inability to stay discreet, to the DC Mayor being arrested for crack and cocaine possession and abuse…there are so many of our political leaders from small towns to running the country that have been involved in some level of fraud and shame.

And while, in Charlotte, Cannon has supporters that are using the fact that he was specifically targeted because he was black, this isn’t the issue, at all. Cannon was specifically targeted because he was sloppy, greedy and delusional. He was a hood gutter rat that found some nice suits and upgraded his ghetto mentality.

But this isn’t about race, federal charges or corrupt, dumb mayors.

This is about the blatant disregard for the law and Cannon’s disrespect of his position as mayor. The general stance of any politician disrespecting the position in which they are elected is needed to be emphasized; it’s not just a relatively small city’s mayor that disrespected the politics our country runs on.

This issue is about the taste of power; the delusion that the law no longer applies once a political office is obtained.

This is about the high possibility that the majority of our politicians, once in power, have, at one time, took advantage of their position and has broken the law.

Our top human desires of popularity and power isn’t interchangeable with any other desire, not love or happiness. Humans like freedom, to do and say as we please, without the harbor of someone directing us. Yet, we want to direct others. It’s a life quest of futility, the autonomy of all that is associated with us and like Cannon, sometimes in our search, we fall. And fall hard.

We as citizens always try to find a way around the rules, to beat the system. Political positions provide a sense of illusion to the realities of someone who isn’t popular or powerful and this leads a person to believe what applies to civilians are obsolete to politicians.

Our politicians have too much leeway and we as citizens have a hard time holding our leaders responsible for their actions. Popularity. Race. Yes, these are all contributing factors and to be honest, I do not see the level of corruption in our country ending anytime in my lifetime or my children’s.

But corruption and the move to be corrupted is deeply rooted in our era of narcissism and immorality. We only want what we want; continuing to overlook the needs of the collective, and this is being spread by betrayal and selfishness. Patrick Cannon was only concern for his financial gain, not considering that he could get caught and thereby destroy the life he built for his family.

See, corruption in politics will hurt us all. It lessens the trust in our governing body making it harder to pass laws and come to agreements on social issues. The corruption or black market politics is the ultimate governing body, headed by corporations and CEO’s, diplomats and potentates all making sure that their greed is being masked by capitalism and the faux concern for the country.

We have to band together but not in a political party. The change will only occur if we instill in our children the dangers of greed and inconsideration. The fact that true happiness of our country will only happen when we as a culture change deeply within our homes and disciplines by teaching our children patience, tolerance and the ability to shut up and listen.

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Described as tenacious and abrasive, Erinn Rochelle rarely holds her tongue when passionate or just annoyed by any one topic. A writer since she was young, Erinn enjoys all levels of literary work and hopes to be a major contributor to scholarly, unbiased and revealing reports; she has always been fascinated by and respected journalist who weren’t afraid to tackle controversial issues and hopes to join the ranks of such journalist like Anderson Cooper, Glenn Greenwald and T.J. Holmes. Erinn will most likely be known as one of the most notorious journalist’s on what NEEDS to be said vs. what IS being said – from religion hypocrisy to government dependence-and she gives no sugar coating.
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